Dodge Dealers Shouldn't Be Taking Demon Deposits But Some Already Are

When the Dodge Challenger Hellcat was launched, dealerships took deposits from anxious customers eager for a place in line to buy that 707-hp muscle car. Problem was, those dealerships had no clue yet how many Hellcats were planned for production or, let alone, how many (if any) they’d be allocated. This resulted in many of those early depositors going home empty handed and, understandably, angry. Are we about to see a similar situation regarding the new Dodge Demon?

According to CNET, who spoke to Tim Kuniskis, head of passenger car brands at FCA, Dodge dealerships should not be taking any deposits. "They can’t physically take an order, and they shouldn’t be taking any deposits," Kuniskis stated. Reason being is that FCA hasn’t "given the dealers the allocation methodology, the allocation numbers or opened up the order banks yet." Heck, Dodge hasn’t even announced official pricing, only that 3,000 examples in total are planned. Three hundred are slated for Canada. Kuniskis added that Dodge dealers, at least some of them, have learned from the previous Hellcat experience. Many of them took upwards of 20 deposits, "and then they would only ultimately get allocated 5 cars."

“So they’re being much more – or at least it appears – that they’re being much more careful this time.” But not all of them. The temptation of taking cash deposits is just too great for some, and Kuniskis rightly admits he knows of some dealers “that have been taking deposits.” That all said, if you’re keen to own a Dodge Demon, it’d be in your best interest not to place a deposit just yet. Wait for official pricing and allocation figures. What a dealership can do for you is to notify you once that information comes to light. Only then make the decision to buy one or not.